Barbara's Prayers for 17th February 2018

18th February 2018.

Lent 1

We bow our heads to pray to God our father, remembering his promise to Noah.

Lord God of heaven and earth, we have had so much rain this winter that we can almost see the world as Noah saw it - yet we know the end of Noah’s story and we have seen the rainbows. As we enter Lent we are blessed by knowing God’s covenant.

Father we pray for your church – the people who make your church and the clergy who look after the people. We ask your blessing and guidance for us at this time of Transition and while we await the appointment of both Bishop and Team Rector. Lord bless and strengthen all who work so hard during the interregnum - Ellie and Chris, Linda, our retired clergy, who are never allowed to really retire and on whom we depend so much, our churchwardens and PCC members.

Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

As we start Lent we think of Jesus and his time in the wilderness, a time of self denial and overcoming temptation. We offer God our sacrifices of self denial - be they serious things or less important things - confident that, in their sincerity, they will be acceptable to our merciful Father. We remember the Rainbow.

We pray for our world – for its future. We thank God for our scientists who bring to our attention the disastrous results of our thoughtless, careless way of modern life

We ask that we may be strengthened in resolve to change our habits – that we may be self disciplined in our shopping, our eating, our travelling, our daily lives, in order that we take better care of our environment and leave a healthy future for coming generations.

Lord in your mercy Hear our Prayer.

Lord we hear of corruption all over the world – in politicians, in business men, even in those who are trusted to bring aid to the poorest and most vulnerable people. We pray that honest people of integrity will replace and overcome the evil ones.

We pray for own country, county and parish – that those in authority will use their power in search of fairer society, where children are cherished, where poverty is not accepted, where the frail are cared for with compassion, where people are housed in safe homes, where the gap between the haves and the have nots grows smaller not wider. We look for the rainbows.

Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

We pray to our father for our villages – Ladock and Grampound Road. We ask you, Lord, to bless our children and teachers as they go back to school after half term.

We pray for the things which make our societies what they are, places where people meet and interact - for our shops and clubs.

We pray for all who suffer in any way – the lonely, the worried, those in unhappy homes.

We ask God’s blessing on those who are ill and we think of Sue as she goes for her Surgery on Tuesday.

We remember

Eileen,

Mary Goodman

Hans

Richard

Joyce

Stanley Matthews

Luke and Colin

We pray for all care for the sick and weak. Lord let your strength and comfort be very real to them all.

Lord in you mercy Hear our prayer.

Father in heaven we ask that you look graciously on all who have died recently. We remember the poor homeless man who died right outside the door into Parliament…